Embodied cognition
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| - | '''Embodied philosophy''' (also known as the ''embodied mind thesis'', ''embodied cognition'' or the ''embodied cognition thesis'') usually refers to a set of arguments proposed by various authors including [[George Lakoff]] and [[Mark Turner (cognitive scientist)|Mark Turner]], which suggest that the [[mind]] can only be well understood by taking into account the [[body]] and the more [[primitive]] underpinnings of the mind. | + | In [[philosophy]], the '''embodied mind thesis''' holds that the nature of the human [[mind]] is largely determined by the form of the human body. |
| + | [[Philosopher]]s, [[psychology|psychologist]]s, [[cognitive science|cognitive scientist]]s, and [[artificial intelligence|artificial intelligence researcher]]s who study '''embodied cognition''' and the '''embodied mind''' argue that all aspects of cognition are shaped by aspects of the body. The aspects of cognition include high level mental constructs (such as [[concept]]s and [[Categorization|categories]]) and human performance on various cognitive tasks (such as reasoning or judgment). The aspects of the body include the [[motor system]], the [[perceptual system]], the body's interactions with the environment ([[situated]]ness) and the [[ontological]] assumptions about the world that are built into the body and the brain. | ||
| - | Lakoff and Johnson (1999) argue that the embodiment hypothesis entails that our conceptual structure and linguistic structures are shaped by the peculiarities of our perceptual structures. As evidence, they cite research on embodiment effects from [[mental rotation]] and [[mental imagery]], [[image schema]]s, gesture, sign language, color terms, and [[conceptual metaphor]] among other examples. | + | The embodied mind thesis is opposed to other theories of [[cognition]] such as [[Cognitivism (psychology)|cognitivism]], [[computationalism]], and [[Dualism (philosophy of mind)|Cartesian dualism]]. The idea has roots in [[Kant]] and [[continental philosophy|20th century continental philosophy]] (such as [[Merleau-Ponty]]). The modern version depends on insights drawn from recent research in [[psychology]], [[linguistics]], [[cognitive science]], [[Cognitive model#Dynamical systems|dynamical systems]], [[artificial intelligence]], [[robotics]] and [[neurobiology]]. |
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| + | Embodied cognition is a topic of research in [[social psychology|social]] and [[cognitive psychology]], covering issues such as [[social interaction]] and [[decision-making]]. Embodied cognition reflects the argument that the [[motor system]] influences our cognition, just as the mind influences bodily actions. For example, when participants hold a pencil in their teeth engaging the muscles of a smile, they comprehend pleasant sentences faster than unpleasant ones. And it works in reverse: holding a pencil in their lips to engage the muscles of a frown increases the time it takes to comprehend pleasant sentences. | ||
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| + | [[George Lakoff]] (a [[cognitive scientist]] and [[linguistics|linguist]]) and his collaborators (including [[Mark Johnson (professor)|Mark Johnson]], [[Mark Turner (cognitive scientist)|Mark Turner]], and [[Rafael E. Núñez]]) have written a series of books promoting and expanding the thesis based on discoveries in [[cognitive science]], such as [[conceptual metaphor]] and [[image schema]]. | ||
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| + | [[Robotic]]s researchers such as [[Rodney Brooks]], [[Hans Moravec]] and [[Rolf Pfeifer]] have argued that true [[artificial intelligence]] can only be achieved by machines that have [[Sensory perception|sensory]] and [[motor skills]] and are connected to the world through a body. The insights of these robotics researchers have in turn inspired philosophers like [[Andy Clark]] and [[Horst Hendriks-Jansen]]. | ||
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| + | [[Neurobiology|Neuroscientist]]s [[Gerald Edelman]], [[António Damásio]] and others have outlined the connection between the body, individual structures in the brain and aspects of the mind such as [[consciousness]], [[emotion]], [[self-awareness]] and [[Will (philosophy)|will]]. [[Biology]] has also inspired [[Gregory Bateson]], [[Humberto Maturana]], [[Francisco Varela]], [[Eleanor Rosch]] and [[Evan Thompson]] to develop a closely related version of the idea, which they call [[enactivism]]. The [[motor theory of speech perception]] proposed by [[Alvin Liberman]] and colleagues at the [[Haskins Laboratories]] argues that the identification of words is embodied in perception of the bodily movements by which spoken words are made. | ||
| - | According to Lakoff and Johnson, an embodied philosophy "would show the laws of thought to be [[metaphor]]ical, not [[logic]]al; truth would be a metaphorical construction, not an attribute of [[Objectivity (philosophy)|objective]] [[reality]]." That is, it would not rely on any [[foundation ontology]] from the [[physical science]]s or from [[religion]], but would likely proceed from metaphors known to be effective for certain situations, as in the [[philosophy of action]]. | ||
| - | == Philosophical roots == | ||
| - | In his pre-critical period, philosopher [[Immanuel Kant]] advocated a remarkably similar embodied view of the [[mind-body problem]] that was part of his ''[[Universal Natural History and Theory of Heaven]]'' (1755). [[José Ortega y Gasset]], [[George Santayana]], [[Miguel de Unamuno]], [[Maurice Merleau-Ponty]], [[Martin Heidegger]] and others in the broadly [[existential]] tradition have proposed philosophies of mind very close to the 'embodiment' thesis. | ||
| - | ==See also== | ||
| - | *[[Human body]] | ||
| - | *[[Corporeality]] | ||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
| - | *[[Embodiment]] | + | *[[Active inference]] |
| *[[Cognitive linguistics]] | *[[Cognitive linguistics]] | ||
| *[[Cognitive neuropsychology]] | *[[Cognitive neuropsychology]] | ||
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| *[[Embodied music cognition]] | *[[Embodied music cognition]] | ||
| *[[Enactivism]] | *[[Enactivism]] | ||
| + | *[[Externalism]] | ||
| *[[Image schema]] | *[[Image schema]] | ||
| *[[Moravec's paradox]] | *[[Moravec's paradox]] | ||
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| *[[Neurophenomenology]] | *[[Neurophenomenology]] | ||
| *[[Philosophy of mind]] | *[[Philosophy of mind]] | ||
| - | *[[Externalism]] | ||
| *[[Situated cognition]] | *[[Situated cognition]] | ||
| *[[Where Mathematics Comes From]] | *[[Where Mathematics Comes From]] | ||
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Revision as of 16:07, 30 October 2013
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In philosophy, the embodied mind thesis holds that the nature of the human mind is largely determined by the form of the human body. Philosophers, psychologists, cognitive scientists, and artificial intelligence researchers who study embodied cognition and the embodied mind argue that all aspects of cognition are shaped by aspects of the body. The aspects of cognition include high level mental constructs (such as concepts and categories) and human performance on various cognitive tasks (such as reasoning or judgment). The aspects of the body include the motor system, the perceptual system, the body's interactions with the environment (situatedness) and the ontological assumptions about the world that are built into the body and the brain.
The embodied mind thesis is opposed to other theories of cognition such as cognitivism, computationalism, and Cartesian dualism. The idea has roots in Kant and 20th century continental philosophy (such as Merleau-Ponty). The modern version depends on insights drawn from recent research in psychology, linguistics, cognitive science, dynamical systems, artificial intelligence, robotics and neurobiology.
Embodied cognition is a topic of research in social and cognitive psychology, covering issues such as social interaction and decision-making. Embodied cognition reflects the argument that the motor system influences our cognition, just as the mind influences bodily actions. For example, when participants hold a pencil in their teeth engaging the muscles of a smile, they comprehend pleasant sentences faster than unpleasant ones. And it works in reverse: holding a pencil in their lips to engage the muscles of a frown increases the time it takes to comprehend pleasant sentences.
George Lakoff (a cognitive scientist and linguist) and his collaborators (including Mark Johnson, Mark Turner, and Rafael E. Núñez) have written a series of books promoting and expanding the thesis based on discoveries in cognitive science, such as conceptual metaphor and image schema.
Robotics researchers such as Rodney Brooks, Hans Moravec and Rolf Pfeifer have argued that true artificial intelligence can only be achieved by machines that have sensory and motor skills and are connected to the world through a body. The insights of these robotics researchers have in turn inspired philosophers like Andy Clark and Horst Hendriks-Jansen.
Neuroscientists Gerald Edelman, António Damásio and others have outlined the connection between the body, individual structures in the brain and aspects of the mind such as consciousness, emotion, self-awareness and will. Biology has also inspired Gregory Bateson, Humberto Maturana, Francisco Varela, Eleanor Rosch and Evan Thompson to develop a closely related version of the idea, which they call enactivism. The motor theory of speech perception proposed by Alvin Liberman and colleagues at the Haskins Laboratories argues that the identification of words is embodied in perception of the bodily movements by which spoken words are made.
See also
- Active inference
- Cognitive linguistics
- Cognitive neuropsychology
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Cognitive science
- Conceptual blending
- Conceptual metaphor
- Embodied cognitive science
- Embodied Embedded Cognition
- Embodied music cognition
- Enactivism
- Externalism
- Image schema
- Moravec's paradox
- Neuropsychology
- Neurophenomenology
- Philosophy of mind
- Situated cognition
- Where Mathematics Comes From
